Prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in community-acquired primary pyoderma.

BACKGROUND Although prevalence of MRSA strains is reported to be increasing, there are no studies of their prevalence in community-acquired primary pyodermas in western India. AIMS This study aimed at determining the prevalence of MRSA infection in community-acquired primary pyodermas. METHODS Open, prospective survey carried out in a tertiary care hospital in Mumbai. MATERIALS AND METHODS Eighty-six patients with primary pyoderma, visiting the dermatology outpatient, were studied clinically and microbiologically. Sensitivity testing was done for vancomycin, sisomycin, gentamicin, framycetin, erythromycin, methicillin, cefazolin, cefuroxime, penicillin G and ciprofloxacin. Phage typing was done for MRSA positive strains. RESULTS The culture positivity rate was 83.7%. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in all cases except two. Barring one, all strains of Staphylococcus were sensitive to methicillin. CONCLUSIONS Methicillin resistance is uncommon in community-acquired primary pyodermas in Mumbai. Treatment with antibacterials active against MRSA is probably unwarranted for community-acquired primary pyodermas.